Richard Schifter

Ambassador Richard Schifter "is an expert in the evolution of human rights in international relations since the end of World War II and the application of international human rights standards.

"He served in several senior foreign policy positions in the U.S. government from 1981 to 2001. He was also U.S. representative in the UN Human Rights Commission; deputy U.S. representative in the UN Security Council, with the rank of ambassador; assistant secretary of state for human rights and humanitarian affairs; assistant to the president and counselor, National Security Council; and special adviser to the secretary of state. He is a graduate of the College of the City of New York and Yale Law School." 

In 1995 he was Special Assistant To The President For National Security Affairs. 

In 1989, George Bush announced that:


 * "...Richard Schifter will continue to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs.


 * "Since 1985 Mr. Schifter has been the Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. He is a member of the board of directors of the U.S. Institute of Peace and serves as the Department of State representative on the Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He also served as Deputy United States Representative in the Security Council of the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador, 1984 - 1985, and as the U.S. member of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, 1983 - 1986. Prior to this Mr. Schifter was a practicing attorney in Washington, DC.


 * "Mr. Schifter graduated from the College of the City of New York in 1943 and received his LL.B. from Yale Law School in 1951. He served in the U.S. Army, 1943 - 1946. He was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1923. He is married and has five children and eight grandchildren."

In a 2002 article it was noted that "Formerly US Ambassador for Human Rights, representing his country on the UN Human Rights Commission and today the American Jewish Committee's International Relations Commission chairman, Schifter has worked in successive US administrations in developing human rights law." 


 * Former Director, Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe